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Organic Wild Tree Pu-Erh Mini Tuo Cha from Arbor Teas

Steepster Score 4 Ratings Rate This Tea

81/100

Organic Wild Tree Pu-Erh Mini Tuo Cha

Pu-erh Tea by Arbor Teas

This organic, Fair Trade Certified pu-erh tea is composed of a select grade of pu-erh compressed into a small birds’ nest shape. Its inky brown infusion is rich and sweetly-flavored, with mineral earthiness and the characteristic musty aroma. Our mini tuo cha uses a higher grade of tea than most, resulting in a big body and smooth finish. It hails from the Jing Mai Mangjing region of China’s southwestern Yunnan province, made from the 1300-year-old tea trees found there, and uses the Shu Cha or “cooked” method of manufacture whereby the pu-erh undergoes an additional oxidation step that speeds-up the aging process and improves in taste over time. Each mini tuo cha is individually wrapped and perfect for a small teapot or can be broken apart to accommodate a single serving. Like most pu-erh, one mini tuo cha can be steeped multiple times.

Sustainability is a cornerstone of Arbor Teas’ business philosophy. In addition to offering an exclusively organic selection of teas, they recently became the first tea company to offer their whole catalog in 100% backyard compostable packaging. They’ve also carbon-offset the entire supply chain of their products, from origin to the customer, making Arbor Teas the greenest option for Earth-conscious tea drinkers, and one of few tea companies recognized by Green America.

6 Tasting Notes

Amy oh
99
Amy oh 2 tasting notes

Oh, how delighted and tickled pink I was to find the Arbor tea company!

Here IS a place that reflects all of my values: organic, fair trade and packaging that is backyard compostable! I must be dreaming… no, it’s true! and it’s fabulous!

This little pu-erh mini tuo cha is fantastic. I’m not a pu-erh expert but am VERY happy with this. It has a smooth and fantastic rich flavor. Aroma smells of trees, mulch and a bit of mushrooms. Taste is rich and luscious with a slightly tart finish with the complexity of a red wine. Slight sense of tobacco in the finish. It is reminiscent of coffee as well but without much bitterness. Me likey…

Second steep is a bit more mellow and is now getting chocolatey…

I’m having this after lunch and it’s heavenly to sip on just plain. Hurray! I will certainly need to get some more soon since this was only a sample…

2011-11-18 16:07:32 -0500
Boiling
3 min 30 sec
7 comments

I still can’t taste much but I know these are still yummy – lol. See my previous notes. :))

2012-02-29 14:10:56 -0500
0 comments
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Adham
79
Adham 3 tasting notes

I chose this one as my final evaluation sample from Arbor Teas, as I’ve had good experiences with tuo chas in the past and wanted to see how this one measured up. I like that each piece is individually wrapped – it just appeals to the packaging nerd in me. The smell of the cake is mild, with a little bit of grain/cereal to it.

I gave it a quick rinse in hot water and then set it up for four minutes of steeping. The resulting liquor was dark and cloudy brown, and did not have the same level of reddishness to it I’d gotten used to seeing in pu-erhs. My first impression of the flavor was its full and savory character – similar in that way to the Camel’s Breath tuo cha from CTG, but dialed back just a bit.

This does not have the wonderful sweetness I got from Arbor Teas’ special grade pu-erh, but it does have lots of deep, stewy flavors. This might sound crazy, but I can actually imagine this iced next to a plate of ribs. Okay, that might actually be really nasty, but those are the kinds of flavors this one reminds me of. Looks like there’s plenty of strength left for multiple steeps, so I’m planning to give this another couple rounds later today.

2010-09-29 13:37:16 -0400
205 °F / 96 °C
4 min 0 sec
0 comments

Trying this one for a second time, and I’ll be switching up the parameters a little, decreasing the steep time to see what flavors that brings out. I still find the tuo cha to have a very mild and slightly nutty aroma, and the liquor to be not as reddish as many other pu erhs.

An initial rinse, and then a one minute steeping time. Now rather than savory, the liquor is sweet, with a definite earthy flavor and something akin to chocolate in the background. Very different from the inital long steep I did last time. The second steep is at two minutes, and is still quite sweet. I’m also getting more of the savory at this stage, plus continuing earthiness. I think this would be a good tea to continue experimenting with – it seems to yield interestingly different results with varying parameters.

2010-11-10 15:33:45 -0500
205 °F / 96 °C
1 min 0 sec
0 comments

Went through a bunch of steepings on this, my last sample tuo cha. After a quick rinse with boiling water, the first infusion was strong enough to put hair on my chest – following ones were mellower and by infusion four and five, it was really sweet, woody, and earthy. A very enjoyable pu erh.

2010-11-16 11:30:57 -0500
205 °F / 96 °C
3 min 0 sec
0 comments
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Sixie
84
Sixie 2 tasting notes

This is a very solid example pu-erh and its comparatively easy on the palate. Earthy, full bodied mineral “cave floor” mineral/mushrooms without any gnarly leather notes. Brings a nice Qi to boot and is friendly enough for daily drinking. A good introduction to the world of ripe pu-erh; mellow enough, yet brings a full bodied genuine pu-erh experience.

2013-04-30 14:57:27 -0400
0 comments
2013-03-18 12:21:27 -0400
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